Lifter-rod holder and guide.



PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

A. F. & O. H. NORRIS.

LIFTER ROD HOLDER AND GUIDE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.31,1904.

wanna W UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

ALBERT F. NORRIS AND CLIFTON H. NORRIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LIFTER-ROD HOLDER AND GUIDE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1906.

Application filed December 31,1904. Serial No. 239,250.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT F. NORRIS and CLIFTON H. NoRRIs, citizens ofthe -United States, residing at Boston, in the .county of Suffolk andState of Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lifter-Rod Holdersand Guides; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

This invention relates to improvements in musical instrumentattachments, and more particularly to lifter-rod holders and guides forpianos or the like.

Among the several objects in view is the adjustable supporting of alifter-rod in a given position, while permitting free movement of saidrod and preventing the production of sound by friction during suchmovement of the rod. In the art heretofore it has been common to providea support having a straight smooth aperture lined with cloth, the clothbeing secured in position by glue.

It is found that the glue hardens the cloth and produces a glazedsurface thereof, against which the lifter-rod rubs in its movement,whereby a grating noise is produced. The object of avoiding theproduction of such noise by the present invention is attained by theemployment of means, as will be hereinafter fully described, forsupporting a cushion-lining within the aperture of a supporting-platewithout the use of an adhesive, whereby the cushioning effect of thelining is maintained and the rod may move noiselessly past its support.

With this and further objects in view the invention comprises certainnovel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a pers ective view ofa piano provided with a l1fter-rod support embodying the features of thepresent invention, parts of the piano being broken away for illustratinginterior structure. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical centralsection taken through a support embodying the features of the presentinvention, parts being illustrated in elevation. Fig. 8 represents aninverted plan view of the same with the bracket omitted. Fig. 4represents a detail view of the cushion-lining of the support in itsextended condition. Fig. .5 represents a view in side elevation of thepresent improved support, parts being broken away and the su port beingillustrated as applied to a modified form of bracket. Fig. 6 rep resentsa fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through a modified form ofsupport.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a pianocasing, and 2a pedal-action of any ordinary type connected with and designed tooperate a lifter-rod 3, said rod being designed for controlling thedamperrod, hammer-rail, muflier, or other mechanism designed to beoperated by the pedals of the piano. For the purpose of supporting andguiding the rod 3 we propose to provide a support comprising a plate orbar 4, a ertured, preferably, at one end, as at 5, w 'ch aperture islined by a suitable bushing 6, said bar being provided at its oppositeend with suitable securing means, hereinafter mentioned. The aperture 5is, as Will be observed, particularly in Fig. 2, formed with an theaperture, andannular rib 7 midway o the walls of the aperture flareoutwardly in both directions from said rib, so that at the point of therib the aperture is restricted and is larger at all other points. Thusthe a erture is formed with an angular wall w -ch may be provided withas great and as varied angles as desired, a portion of the bushing 6thus necessarily overhanging a portion of the wall of said aperture. Thebushing 6 consists of a strip of suitable cushioning material cutpreferably in the form of a substantially rectangular piece notched atitsends, as seen in Fig. 4, and rolled into a cylinder and placed insuch condition within the aperture 5. The said cushion-lining 6 is afterhaving been positioned within the aperture pressed about the wallsthereof in position or fitting snugly such walls, so that the rod 3 maybe passed through the lining and be cushioned in its movementtherethrough. The flaring walls of the aperture 5 facilitate themovement of the rod 3 through the aperture at other angles than a rightangle, as

illustrated, and this is advantageous at times when the rod buckles orbecomes tilted to one side from any cause. It is to be noted the lining,ends thereof. that by the employment of the rib 7 or some equivalentelement the lining is sustained in its proper position without theuse'of adhesive material.

At the opposite end of the bar 4 from that formed with the aperture 5,as above suggest-,

by the end of a bracket 12, the screw 9 being passed through the bar 4centrally of therecess 10 and engaging the frusto conical projection 11for locking the bar 4 to the bracket 12 when said bracket is employed,as seen in Fig. 2.

Where it is not desired to employ the bracket 2, the bar 4 may besupported upon any suitable surface, as seen in Fig. 5, by the threadingof the screw 9 into any convenient form of support and drawing the endof the bar 4 with its roughened or serrated surface 8 into engagementwith the supporting-surface.

The screw 9 of course may be threaded down tightly enough to positivelyretain the bar 4 in the desired position, regardless of Whether thebracket 12 is employed or the bar connected with some other form ofsupport, and when it is desired to adjust the bar 4 for adjusting theposition of the lifter-rod 3 passed therethrough it is only necessary toloosen the screw 9, swing the bar 4 pivotally upon said screw, andtighten the screw again.

Instead of forming the aperture 5 in the bar 4 in the manner disclosedin Fig. 2 an aperture may be formed, as seen at 5, in the bar 4, thesaid aperture being lined with a suitable cushion 6. The aperture 5 hasits largest diameter at its center and tapers outwardly, so that, incommon with the aperture 5, a part of the wall of the aperture overhangsanother part thereof and the cushion-lining therein must necessarilyoverhang a part of the wall of the aperture and be thereby supported inposition without necessitating the use of an adhesive.

This application is a continuation of our former application, Serial No.193,316, which was allowed and forfeited in order that this applicationmight be filed.

Although we have illustrated a cylindrical rod passing through thebushing 6, it is of course apparent that a square or other polysidedrod, might be employed, nd the cushion-lining 6 and the aperturecarrying the same may be made to conform to the shape of the rod.

due to the flared conditioiofjthe Therefore it will be observed ifl thusfully described our invention,

what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano orthe like, and a lifter-rod therefor, of a bar extending from one of thewalls of the piano, and formed at its free end with an opening having aninter mediate annular rib and a lining snugly litting the wall of saidopening and overhanging the rib, said lining being designed to receiveand guide said lifterr0d.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, ofa bracket secured thereto, a frustum extending from said bracket, a barsupported by said bracket and formed with a socket inclosing saidfrustum, an aperture being formed in said bar and re stricted centrallyand flaring outwardly to its ends, and a cushion-lining arranged withinand conforming to the contour of said aperture.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano, ofa bar connected therewith and formed with an aperture, a cushion-bushingmounted within said aperture, a rib projecting -from the walls of theaperture into and partly filling the aperture and positioned centrallyfor being overhung by a portion of the bushing for maintaining saidbushing against removal therefrom, and a lifter passed through saidopening.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano orthe like, of a bar extending from the Walls thereof, and formed at itsfree end with an opening having an intermediate annular rib, a liningsnugly fitting the walls of said opening and overhanging the rib, and alifter-rod passed. through said opening.

5. A device of the class described comprising a horizontally-movable barformed with an aperture, means for securing said bar against movement,said aperture being provided with a ribbed surface, and a cushionliningfor the walls of said aperture,

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano orthe like, of a bar connected therewith and formed with an aperturehaving a double-beveled wall, a lifter-rod passing therethrough, and acushion-lining arranged within said aperture, one side of said liningconforming to the contour of the walls thereof and supported thereby.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano,and. a lifter-rod therefor, of a bar connected with the piano and formedwith an aperture having a restricted portion intermediate its length anda cushion-lining for said aperture, part of said lining overhanging therestricted portion of the aperture, said lifter-rod being surrounded andguided by said lining.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano, ofa bar connected bead for being sustaine d in position, and a lifter-rodpassed through the aperture.

9. In a device of the Z0 combination With a pian therewith, and formedclass described, the o, of a bar connected with an oppositelyflaredaperture, a cushion-lining snugly fitting the Wall of said aperture, anda lifter-rod passed through the aperture.

In testimony whereof We affix our signa- I 5 tures in presence of twoWitnesses:

ALBERT F. NORRIS. CLIFTON H. NORRIS.

Witnesses:

E. A. CHURCH, H. B. BAILEY.

